Archive for Health and Wellness

****Again a disclaimer that this is a honest review thus the content may be graphic, so read on brave views or just cover you eyes and scroll down ******

Well this thing has a learning curve for sure and insert/removal take some getting used to. I did end up trimming the stem, apparently wiping feels….um different…if the stem is too far down. Day One I was not convinced I would keep it, as the insert and removal took a bit of work. But half way through day two I got the hang of it and its so easy to use. Using it for the first time does feel different, I couldn’t put my finger on it but Mama Owl equated it to feeling as if there was an air bubble. After a short while I found it unnoticeable. As for changing it I decided to check it after 5 hours instead of waiting the 8-12 hours as suggested by the manufacture. I think 8 – 12 may work well for average or light days but if you have a heavy flow I would change it closer to 6 hours. This is much better than the standard tampons for me. I would also highly recommend a pack of travel sized wipes if you are using public restrooms. The manufacturer says you can wipe the cup out with toilet paper at changes if needed but I found that ineffective and rinsing or a wet wipe to work best. I didn’t find it to leak although some say they use a cloth pantyliner with it just in case. I cannot attest to its effectiveness overnight as a personal preference I cant use anything but a pad at night.

I’m a convert!

L rating (O rating to come): *****

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Mama Owl:

Okay, I am not afraid…I am going there.

The insertion:

Well, I waited…and waited…and waited. Crazy post baby periods taking their own crazy amount of time to show its ugly head. When the time finally came, I never thought I would be thinking this way, but I literally COULD NOT wait to get my period in order to try it! When that day finally came, I anxiously trotted up to the bathroom to meet my new friend! Cup in hand and pants around my ankles, I nervously stared at the instructions one last time (as if that last glance did anything). I had already had the ‘dress rehearsal’ and now it was showtime! I wet it with some warm water, folded it into my choice of folds to start; the 7-fold, and the fun began. I got it in part of the way where I could feel that it was still folded a bit, slightly pushed a little bit more, and then it comfortably slid into place. “Well that wasn’t bad,” I thought to myself. I stood up, pulled up my pants, did my shimmy once again, washed my hands, and was on my way. Yes, walking with it was a fun experience for the first few minutes. Definitely had a feeling there was a bubble in there. Then slowly as the moisture balanced out and my body registered and accepted its existence, I couldn’t tell it was there just like a tampon. Now removing it…that is a whole different story….

The removal:

So it came time that I thought, “hmm maybe I should check on this thing.” So hands washed, I sat down to begin my excavation. What felt like fist deep in places I do not want to be during this time of the month, I was able to release the suction. I tried the traditional pinching of the cup to release the suction and, yeah, no dice. Let me be the first to tell you…in a state of panic, TUGGING DOESN’T WORK! This is a suction item so that way is a no go. Okay. I have a cup…stuck in my vagina. Awesome. There are 6 children and my aid downstairs, and I have a cup stuck in my body. Okay, more digging. One last desperate PULLLL. Hmm. Leg up on the tub, one cheek on the seat, I found the top. Released the suction at the rim of the cup, and slid it down. It wasn’t folded anymore however, but I was just so relieved at getting it out that I toughed it out and…POP! I gave birth to a beautiful 2 ounce silicone cup! and I couldn’t have been more proud! Little did I know that this would be my way of getting it out…EVERY TIME! I am still working on it. I love it though, don’t get my wrong. I do find sometimes that the stem can shift a bit and get trapped between the inner skin of the vagina and pinch, but a shimmy and a shake of the leg and it rights itself again. I almost wonder if the Diva Cup has a “post childbirth size” for a reason? Maybe mine moves around in there too much and gets wedged a bit. As far as leaking goes, I didn’t find very much leaking after a few hours, but it was a very heavy period for me this time being my first real period since giving I conceived little owl (21 months), so I changed it about 3 times that day. It would help to keep a panty liner or a cloth pad to wash easily or prevent any leaking to your outer pants. I really like it though and am ready for the next period to meet my match once again!

The dump:

Did you think I was going to forget the most disgusting part??? All of this talk about dumping it at a public place; here is my thoughts…avoid it if you can if you are in a stall. Find a one person bathroom or do it at home before you go and immediately upon getting home if you are out for a long time. It is just my personal opinion as it is definitely easier, cleaner, and the ‘ick’ factor decreases from a hand washing standpoint if you have a sink to privately rinse out in and wash bloody fingers. When you get it out, it is full of uterine lining, blood, and whatnot so yeah, its a bit messy and gross to look at, but it really is fascinating in a nasty way. It gives you a sense of what your amazing body does once a month to prepare for the eventual shot at the beauty of life that will be growing inside you.

Armed and ready for next month…even got a Party in My Pants (cloth pad) to keep my Femmecup company in the land of future life-giving.

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AND THE GIVEAWAY Is now CLOSED!!
Previous entries from giveaway one will automatically be re-entered in this giveaway, but to double your chance at winning post a new comment that follows the rules of the second drawing.

Rules:
Do you have a magical cure for cramps? Eliminated bloating? Post a comment with your best PMS and Period tips…Don’t have one? Be creative and make it up! Only one comment per person please!

Our first giveaway has arrived! As you can see in the previous post Femmecup is the topic de-jour and we will be giving one away for you to try! It even comes in its own handy carrying case. This may just be the last feminine product you will ever need. Can you imagine not having to buy pads or tampons again? The cost and hassle savings? You can go out and not worry about where to store your spare pads and tampons! So to enter simply leave a comment below and “Like” our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ladybug-and-Owl-Review/134135513320074 and a winner will be chosen at random. Remember to comment here and “Like” on facebook, we will make sure the winners name is on both sites, if not another name will be chosen. One entry person, so you can comment 15 times if you want but you still will only be entered once. Don’t fret if you aren’t chosen this time because after part two is posted there will be another Femmecup giveaway! Tell your friends because the next giveaway might just have to do with referrals 😉

Femmecup ( WARNING: Graphic content, read at your own risk or cover you eye while screaming “LALALA I can’t read you” and scroll to the next post)

“Femmecup is a soft reusable menstrual cup worn internally just like a tampon except it collects menstrual flow instead of absorbing it. Femmecup has endless benefits, it is more eco-friendly, healthy, cost effective and convenient than tampons or pads.”

Information from Femmecup’s website:

How Femmecup Works

Femmecup is a reusable menstrual cup worn internally just like a tampon except it collects menstrual flow instead of absorbing it.

Femmecup forms a gentle seal with your vaginal walls and any flow is contained in the cup. It is then simply removed, emptied into the toilet, rinsed with water and then reinserted; Femmecup is always with you when you need it most!

Femmecup is non-absorbent so it can be left in place for up to 12 hours with no risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome; you may want to empty it more on heavier days and less often on light ones, it really is your personal choice as long as you always keep to the 12 hour rule. In between periods your Femmecup should be sterilised either by boiling in water for 2-4 minutes or rinsing with sterilising fluid such as Milton.

Femmecup holds up to 30ml, that’s 3 times more than tampons or towels can absorb; so Femmecup is great on heavy days and light ones too.

Femmecup is easy to insert and remove.

Technical Information

Femmecup is 50mm in length and 45mm at its widest point. It holds 30ml of fluid (approximately one third of your entire monthly flow). It is worn internally but unlike a tampon it collects the flow instead of absorbing it. When inserted Femmecup forms a gentle seal with the vaginal walls so there is no leakage. Femmecup is reusable and lasts around 5 years so it is highly cost effective.

The stem at the base of the cup is 15mm long and aids easy removal, it can be trimmed to any length; some women even remove it altogether.

Ladybug & Owl meet Femmecup…

Mama Ladybug and I could barely wait to get our periods once we received our Complimentary Femmecups to review (and some to GIVEAWAY!! Stay tuned) I chatted with Mama Ladybug about how we should probably give it a go BEFORE the big day arrives. She thought it was a good idea so when we had some ‘alone time’ after the little ones were snuggled in their beds we gave it a go in preparation for what was to come. Being eco-minded mamas, we were eager to save the earth one tampon at a time! Here is our story…

Journal of the Femmecup.

Mama Owl, Day 1: So I received my Femmecup in the mail and excitedly checked it out. It is smaller than I thought which is a good thing I suppose. I put it up in my bathroom to try later. After passing by it several times and KNOWING that I would need to try it before showtime, I finally decided today was the day. I washed it off and got it a bit wet. Folding it into the 7-fold (the only one I could remember or even get it to fold into) and gave it a go. POP it opened halfway ‘in’. Okay, attempt number two. POP—OUCH the stem is sideways. Hmmm. Well now what? Its a tad ‘slippery’ and I get it into the trusty 7-fold and try again. POP, almost in, but not quite. With a bit of shoving in the right spot it fit right in like a glove. I stood up. Did a shimmy. Can’t feel it! Well it was successfully in, now to get it out…yup. Get it out. Well I sat down and went digging. That thing is in there to stay. Supposedly they say that they can be in there for 8-12 hours and they aren’t kidding. I broke the seal, but definitely had to get a bit in there to get to the top, pulled it down from the stem (I cannot IMAGINE how people cut it off! I need it or I think I would panic that it is going to be lost and stuck up there forever!) and it caught the suction again. If the “material” it holds stays in there well, this shouldn’t be that messy, but I am sure we will need several cycles to get the hang of it exactly. After one more break of the suction I folded it a bit (definitely not enough), and it came out. Okay, not so bad for my first try! I certainly wouldn’t say it was “easy” but with time and practice it definitely will be. After all my first attempt at a tampon was 10 times worse! I did feel slightly crampy for a short time after, but that could be from all the tugging, suctioning of the nether-regions, and maneuvering that ensued. That is all for now. The Femmecup as been throughouly washed with warm soapy water and adorning my vanity waiting for another try or the real deal! Until next time…

From Mama Ladybug’s perspective
Can I just say I’ve never been this excited to get my period. I was just hoping my Femmecup would arrive in enough time and is showed up right on time. I have recently had a desire to find an alternative to tradition pads and tampons, not only for the obvious eco-friendly reasons, but because my poor girly bits get all rashy and uncomfortable after even just a day or two of pads/tampons (more so after Little Ladybug came along). So when Mama Owl wanted to review menstrual cups I was all for it!

Mama Owl suggested to me that I try out the femmecup insertion techniques before I actually get my period. She’s smart, I didn’t even think of having to dig around down there with all that going on. And I would recommend practicing the folding techniques even before that. Because let’s face it, while it’s not rocket science you are kind of going in blind. So I went home, folded and unfolded my cup in a few different styles, washed and re-washed and then popped it in. I will say it was a strange sensation, my folded cup popping open but once it was in I really couldn’t feel it. The instructions said that you may need to trim or cut off the stem but so far I don’t think I will need to. I couldn’t even feel it in after walking and moving about. Taking it out was interesting….I’m not sure I would know what removing a suction cup from you nether-region feels like but I’m sure it felt something like what I experienced. That might be what takes more getting used to than the insertion. So far I love it but now I just need Flo to come visit to give you the real low down.

First of all I wanted to thank Inspired by Finn for allowing me to review their Hazelwood necklace. I chose this product because I purchased their Baltic Amber Teething Necklace from Babyhalfoff.com and LOVED it! My daughter has been much less fussy and the painful effects of teething have seemed much lower when wearing her necklace. It is also very cute and she gets SO many compliments on it. The attention she gathers allows me to explain the holistic healing nature of amber and its effects on teething as well as many other ailments. Since then 4 of my mommy friends have purchased Amber Teething Necklaces for their children.

The hazelwood necklace I got was for me! it isn’s often that I buy things for myself, any of you moms out there I am sure you can relate. The first thing I notice upon opening the package, other than the how nice it looked, was that it said to wear it all the time! Wear it while you sleep and especially when bathing! This is the kind of necklace for me! I am an immutable jewelry mama. I don’t change my jewelry or take it off, so this was PERFECT. I was thinking I was going to have to get into the habit of taking my necklace off before the shower, and I was alright with that, but got even more excited when I found out that, not only did I not have to take it off, but it BETTER if I leave it on!

A little bit about me; have eczema and often am itching and scratching at my skin. When I was pregnant I had some pretty bad heartburn. There fore reading about Hazelwood, I was intrigued that maybe this might be the answer for my dry, chapped, cracked, itchy, and at times, bleeding skin.

Wood from the Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta) tree has the medicinal property of neutralizing the body’s acidity. It is an ancient remedy first used by aboriginal people. It relieves or prevents ailments such as acid reflux, ulcers, heartburn. It may be helpful with skin problems (psoriasis, eczema, acne), arthritis, constipation, migraines, bleeding gums, and more. These necklaces are a great remedy for heartburn and morning sickness during pregnancy! In order to receive a therapeutic benefit the necklace must be worn as much as possible, including over night.

Hazel wood necklaces are made from the branches of a Beaked Hazel tree alternated with gemstone beads. No chemicals of any kind (pesticides, fertilizers, etc.) are used to grow the trees these necklaces are made from. (Often when wood comes from a plantation chemical pesticides and fertilizers are used.) The necklaces are handmade – from the gathering of the wood to the stringing of the beads. The clasp is a sterling-silver plated lobster clasp.

The life span of the necklace will depend on the level of acidity of the body. In general, a necklace will maintain its medicinal benefits for 6 months to 1 year. Higher acidity may mean a shorter lifespan of the necklace. Indicators that a necklace is losing effectiveness are: the ends of the wood beads will darken and/or symptoms return.

Keeping the wood moist aids the body in absorbing its beneficial properties. Though it is not recommended to wear it in the pool, spa, or in other highly chlorinated water. Don’t be alarmed if/when the bark comes off – the wood beads will change over time.

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Not only does it look nice, help the body, and work even better when leaving it on, but I am hoping for long term effects in the future! So far, so good! Thanks to Inspired by Finn and the wonderful healing powers of nature!

Nose Frida Nasal Aspirator

Nose Frida Nasal Aspirator = love. I came across a review online when looking into possibly owning this contraption that said, “Nose Frida: The grossest thing I ever loved.” I think that sums it up really. Everyone I rave to about the Nose Frida, reacts the same way: “GROSS!” Well, I don’t think it is personally. I mean any parent who is waking up every hour in the middle of the night to a stuffed up, miserable, crying child can relate to the sheer desperation you feel when trying to console your sick, sobbing baby in order to provide relief and sleep for both of you. I would do or buy ANYTHING or even resort to trying a crazy voodoo dance to get them to be able to drift back off to sleep. I even have tried the putrid advice someone once bestowed upon me in which I was told to ‘suck the boogers out of her nose myself’, yes I will admit having done that, so this is nothing for me! I have even tried holding down the flailing arms of my poor, stuffy little owl to use the bulb aspirator just to be unsuccessful with the little bits of nothing I worked so hard to extract from her stuffy little nose.

Whether it be teething, a cold, or just a runny nose, the Nose Frida is a LIFE SAVER! How it works is simple; you put the red mouth piece into your mouth, place the blue ‘booger catcher’ right up to (not inside) your little stuffy nose, take a deep breath, and suck as hard as you can. The mucus goes into the capturing section and DOES NOT even come close to entering your mouth. It works like a breast pump in which the mucus doesn’t ever enter the tubing. There is a sponge to collect any ‘germs’ that might be living in the nose of your little one as not to spread germs to mamas and daddies. I would recommend this to any parent ANY day of the week. We love ours and it is amazing just how much ‘good stuff’ a little nose can hold.